Helicopters to Ferry Election Staff and Ballots to Four Remote Polling Stations in Humla

Humla. Election staff, ballots, and related materials designated for four polling centers in Humla will be transported by helicopter. Chief District Officer Tek Kumar Regmi informed that election staff, ballots, and materials for the polling centers at Bhrikuti Basic School in Jang, Sunkhani Basic School in Halji, and Himshikhar Basic School in Til, all located in Limi, Ward-6 of Namkha Rural Municipality, as well as Himalaya Basic School in Chala, Ward-4 of the same rural municipality, will be airlifted.

According to him, due to transportation services being obstructed by snowfall at these four polling centers, a total of 102 personnel—comprising 20 election staff, Nepal Army, Election Police, Nepal Police, and other security personnel—along with ballots and other election materials, will be transported by helicopter over two days, today and tomorrow.

The request made to the Election Commission to transport the staff, security personnel, ballots, and other voting materials to these polling centers by helicopter for the election has been endorsed by the Commission.

He stated that the Commission is resorting to helicopter use because the roads leading to the two entry points to Limi, Nara and Nyalu Lake, are closed due to accumulated snow. Similarly, helicopter arrangements are being made for the Chala polling center because the foot trail is blocked due to snow accumulation on the route.

Due to geographical reasons, the District Security Committee had previously identified these polling centers as highly sensitive locations.

The Sunkhani Primary School polling center in Halji, Limi, has 293 voters; Bhrikuti Primary School in Jang has 247; Himshikhar Primary School in Til has 132; and Himalaya Primary School in Chala has 159 voters. Currently, efforts are underway to open the roads to bring the majority of these voters, who are currently outside the district or in Taklakot, China, back to Limi.